Culver and Knox Schools Absorb North Bend Pupils  

Lawsuit Contests School Closing

(Reprinted verbatim from the Sept 7 issue of the Starke County Democrat, published at Knox) The tranfere of students from one bus to another was peaceably effected in North Bend township this morning, a welcome surcease from the turmoil and strife of the past two days here.

The opening of the school year 1961-62 will be one long remembered by the North Bend students because of the controversy which marked the event.

Opinionated parents, both pro-Knox and pro-Culver, have been on hand each day thus far, and the conflict of opinions reached near-strife proportions on Wednesday.

Today’s orderly conduct by both parties is viewed as a sign that the near-crisis is past and the children can now begin to settle into normal schooling routines.

Sharp Divisions of Opinion

The sharp division of opinion within that township know no boundary lines. Neighbor has turned against neighbor, party politics has been forgotten, and a giant tug of war has developed to see how many North bend student will attend class at Knox and how many at Culver.

Trustee favors Culver

The Culver group has the advantage of officiao backing, since Trustee Donald Taylor and the majority of his advisory board have, since mid-summer been planning to transfer as many of the students into the Culver system as possible.

Many famiies have resisted the moce, however and have worked strategy against strategy in an effort to bring a maximum number of pupils to Knox instead.

A nose-count of the North Bend students on Wednesday reveals that the contest is largely a draw at present. The Knox Elementary Grades had registered 42 students; Junior high 29 and High school 22. This makes a total enrollment of 93 from North Bend township.

Some pupils At Monterey

Unoffical figures on the meber of school-age children in North Bend is somewhere near 204. Several of these (at least 11) have enrolled in the Monterey school, and Culver would then have the remainder.

Pro-Knox parents view this as a victory for their group, however, in light of the determination by Trustee Taylor that he would provide transportation for only one bus-load of children to the Knox schools.

Actually, a second bus, being operated at present by the Knox school system, has doubled the number of Knox-enrolled North Bend pupils.

Trustee Taylor announced during mid-summer that he would close both the school buildings of his district and world transfer all pupils into other systems. Then the scramble for students was on.

Files Complaint in Court

Taylor’s decision to close the existing buildings was challenged on Tuesday of the week when Hershel Patrick of that township files a complaint for mandamus in the Starke Circuit Court.

Patrick seeks to force Taylor to reopen the North Bend Scholl buildings, alleging that the closure is a violation of law since each building had more than 20 pupils enrolled.

Patrick pointed out that Taylor had under contract enough teachers to conduct classes and asks that the court mandate hem to employ such other school employee as are needed to run the buildings.

School Bus Inspected

Lt. Moo of the Indiana State Police Barracks at Dunes Park was at the scene of the bus transfer in North Bend township on Wednesday and conducted an inspection of the Knox-owned bus which was standing by awaiting pupils for whom Trustee Taylor was not providing

transportation Moo quickly backed away from the controversial aspects of the school fight when he saw the true nature, and confined his activities to the bus inspection. He did not prevent the bus from picking up its load of passengers and transporting them to Knox.

Sep 13 1961 – Citizen